Are we guilty of inconsistencies in our application of the human right to equality? The research article titled “Equality hypocrisy, inconsistency, and prejudice: The unequal application of the universal human right to equality” claims that there are significant inconsistencies in how people apply the important principle of equality rights across different status minority groups. This article was published in the February 2015 issue of Peace and Conflict: Journal of peace Psychology, an international journal from the American Psychology Association. The target audience of this journal includes not only psychologists, but also researchers, educators, policymakers, and scholars from similar disciplines. The article authors – Diane M. Houston, …show more content…
The authors Houston et al. have carefully selected a descriptive title, with the words “Equality Hypocrisy, Inconsistency and Prejudice” clearly identifying the main topics which dominate the discourse and “The Unequal Application of the Universal Human Right to Equality” communicates to the reader what the issue is that will be investigated. This title contains many key words which serve to ensure that the article is not overlooked in searches and most of these key words are commonly recognised, powerfully emotive words which speak well for the articles content and may also gain attention from readers outside of the psychology discipline. The term “Human rights” generally refers to a universally recognised set of rights which belongs to every human being. This articles arrangement follows the IMRD (introduction, method, results, discussion) format common to academic journals and early in the introduction there is an extract from Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act toward one another in a spirit of brotherhood” (p.29). This extract is well chosen as it serves to define the term human rights, and because it is taken from such a universally significant document it is able to maintain reader …show more content…
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s most famous "I Have a Dream" speech was delivered to 250,000 civil rights supporters during the march on Washington DC in August 1963, it is credited with mobilizing supporters and prompting the 1964 civil rights act. The italicised quote that Houston et al. have chosen suggests the theme of the thesis, but because the quote has been taken from one of the most powerful and globally significant speeches in history and is from the most famous paragraph in that speech, it actually does so much more. The authors chose - “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up, live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self–evident, that all men are created equal’.”. This quote communicates their articles theme and it also communicates their ideology. By using this quote the authors align themselves with it and their research with the concepts and values it portrays. However, the authors are not only aligning themselves with the quote, they are also aligning themselves and their ethos with the Man, his ethos and the whole speech he made that day. This is because the speech is so famous and the paragraph so well known that readers can be expected to absorb so much more from the epigraph than just the thoughts, feelings and sense of theme delivered by the quote itself. When Martin Luther King,
“.When you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate filled policemen curse, kick and even kill your black brothers and sisters.” –Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from a Birmingham Jail. Over the years, many groups of people have been denied basic human rights based on simple things such as gender or race. These acts go against the UDHR, or the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The UDHR is a document of the equal and inalienable rights/freedoms all people are born with.
In a period of time where few were willing to listen, Martin Luther King, Jr. stood proudly, gathered and held the attention of over 200,000 people. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech was very effective and motivational for African Americans in 1963. Many factors affected Kings’ speech in a very positive manner; the great emotion behind the words, delivering the speech on the steps of the memorial of the President who defeated slavery. And not only was this message beautifully written for the hope of African Americans, but the underlying message for white people, revolution and peace. To stimulate emotion from both parties of his listeners, King used a selection of rhetorical devices such as allusions to historical documents, metaphors, similes, anaphoras and others.
The author of the “I Have A Dream” speech is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King, known for his work in Civil Rights during the 1960s. In this informative speech, Dr. King inspires individuals to have a change in both white and black citizens during the Civil RIghts era in the United States. Moreover, the premise of the speech is that both sides of the discussion must accept change in a non-violent yet effective way. He spoke about the injustices of segregation and discrimination of black citizens that was occurring in our nation. As he opened, “I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation,” he explained what he was there to do for all citizens. He is
The fight for equality and human rights has been and still is a continuous battle played out on many fronts ranging from struggles between ruling governments and the people, the definition of societal roles and status, and also within the home on a domestic and individual level. The legacy for these battl...
Martin Luther King Jr. have dreams of the nation they are trying to form. These instances of envisioning are prevalent in March and are often touching. Dr. King in the text makes an bold statement that demonstrates to the reader why great leaders in this time period in history made a great change in our nation. While talking to Robert Kennedy regarding the unlawful arrest of African Americans in Jackson Mississippi, King speaks to him about why they must continue protesting. King implores, “I’m deeply appreciative of what the administration is doing. I see a ray of hope, but I am different from my father. I feel the need of being free now.” (Lewis and Aydin 96). Martin Luther King not only speaks in terms of a dream when he uses the words ‘ray of hope’, but when he says that he ‘feels the need of being free now’, he envisions a world that could be different. A world contradicting the racism and hate that those of African descent have experienced since the beginning of American history. Though this isn’t Martin’s famous ‘I have a dream speech’, it is evident that he has had a dream and a plan to fulfill it long before the speech that America will remember for the rest of its history. John Lewis had the pleasure of working with Dr. King and sharing his values in the text. John Lewis also has dreams of what America could become—John sees excellent value in the potential of individuals to change America. After Robert Kennedy pulls him aside to reverence the change that has occurred in him being ‘woke’, John explains why People like Kennedy make his dream for America come true. John speaks, “It showed me something about Robert Kennedy that I came to respect: even though he could be a little rough—ruthless, some would say—he was willing to learn, to grow, and to change.” (Lewis and Aydin 152). John has dedicated his life to this movement—giving up an education and other possible opportunities to address injustices among his brothers. In the text, the
Relationships have differentiated greatly in the last few decades. Equal rights has become the slogan to better people all around the globe, however, there wasn’t always times when it was this way. From the beginning of time, people have thought they were better than others. During the Industrial Revolution, the Europeans believed they were better than others. Theories like Social Darwinism have been stated to justify the actions associated with one group or race believing superiority to another.
This oppression and discrimination is experienced through several forms of oppression including violence, racism classism and sexism not only at a personal level but also at the structural level. This high risk population is vulnerable for internalizing the oppression as an accepted norm. Mullaly believes that “people may be given certain rights but still be unable to exercise their rights due to particular social constraints based on class, gender, race and ethnicity.”
The words declared by revolutionaries and human rights activists are echoed in the declaration of Independence. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Human rights can be considered racism and this needs to be recognized and protected by a democratic approach.
While Martin Luther King Jr delivered his “I have a dream” speech at a civil rights movement on August 28th, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial, he reached out to his audience by the use of many rhetorical devices. Ethos, logos, and pathos contributed to persuading his audience to follow throughout his speech to follow along with his message, along with reminding his audience of his purpose. The use of ethos, logos, and pathos also allowed the audience to recognize the overall purpose of his message which included gaining equal civil rights, abolishing segregation, and to quickly end racial discrimination overall.
The idea of human rights has arguably been the most debated and controversial subject in history. Who gets them, what do they consist of, and how do we enforce such a subjective idea? Answers to these questions have been given tested by the greatest leaders and brightest philosophers, yet in modern times parts of society still contests what constitutes as a human right and who gets them. The six primary documents we read this past week allowed us an insight into how the idea of human rights has been discussed throughout time.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the central figures of the twentieth century. Born into an educated black family in Atlanta in 1929, his childhood was strongly influenced by religion and the racial inequality of the South. He got a doctorate from Boston University on the topic of man’s relationship with God in 1955 before which he graduated from seminary in 1951 (Peake). “I Have a Dream” is one of the defining speeches of the twentieth century and is at the heart of Civil Rights literature. While other writings from the era brought up the same issues that afflicted the black community, this speech came to be a rallying cry for the movement. “I Have a Dream” is more than a speech, it is a piece of American history in its own right and as such is a necessary part in any study of American literature.
1 (Oct., 1979) Wasserstrom, Richard. " Rights, Human Rights, and Racial Discrimination." The Journal of Philosophy, 61.20 (1964).
All human persons have the right to live, however the quality of life is dependent on the circumstances of the person. Roughly half of the world’s population lives in poverty; a term used to describe populations being unable to afford the most basic necessities to ensure survival. Singer (1993), suggests populations suffering from poverty do not receive the same right to life as those who are situated within developed countries. Singer (1993), proposes that all humans should be classified to be equal based on “the principle of equal consideration” (p21). It is through this principle that the consequences of ones actions are weighed up against the benefits and interests of those who are affected by such actions (Singer, 1993). The principle aims to target the population of those located in
Seven decades have passed since the global community collectively recognized that all humans, regardless of their individual status in society—whether it pertains to their race, gender, sexual orientation, or age—are “...equal in dignity ” predicated solely on their existence. This marked a profound shift in how society writ large defined dignity—a transition from a way to denote nobility to a quality of worthiness accessible to all (inherent dignity). This fact is what grounded the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states in its preamble that “inherent dignity” is fundamental to “…freedom, justice, and peace in the world. ” Regardless of this, there are still factors that stand in the way of full promotion
The idea as contained in this section is a combination of the English concept of ‘equality before law’ and the American concept of ‘equal protection of law’. The doctrine of equality is one of the most difficult doctrines to apply to real life situations.